July 31, 2015

Dingell was back in Washington to celebrate the anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

No one is safe from mean tweets, not even the longest-serving member of Congress.

Former Rep. John D. Dingell, D-Mich., took to Twitter Friday to read some mean tweets directed at his popular Twitter handle after losing a bet with his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., who succeeded him in Congress. Full story

From left, Darryl Riley, Duane Thomas, and Howard McKinney, move an African Lion killed during a hunt in Zimbabwe by Rep. Paul Broun. The Architect of the Capitol and Chief Administrative Officer employees moved the lion from Rayburn Building to Broun’s new office in Cannon on Dec. 10, 2008. (CQ Roll Call File Photo).

Long before the killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe by a Minneapolis dentist triggered an international outcry over the illegal hunting, one U.S. Congressman confidently bragged about killing — and eating — his own conquests.

It also led us at CQ Roll Call to what former Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., displayed in his congressional office — a lion he killed during a hunt in Zimbabwe!

You may be losing your lemme-see-what-better-jobs-are-out-there meeting spot, but House administrators assure HOH that once the transition from Restaurant Associates to Sodexo is complete later this year, you’ll have 31 flavors with which to self-medicate.

July 28, 2015

Hill staffers lamenting the loss of the Longworth Creamery can take solace on their smart phones, where the popular Capitol Hill haunt will live on through a networking app.

The brains behind the anonymous gossip app for Capitol Hill known as Cloakroom have developed a new mobile app called “The Creamery” for Hill staffers to connect with each other and discuss their next career moves. Full story

The threat of possibly having to return to Washington next week kicked a number of House GOP aides into fight mode Tuesday, stirring up a series of angry emails denouncing leaders for endangering the anticipated August recess.

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Things got off to a pleasant enough start.

An assistant to House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., got the ball rolling by alerting everyone on the right side of the aisle that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the chamber would be done with work by Wednesday.

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“Woop there it is!” cheered a relieved Ohioan upon learning there were no votes expected Thursday.

But joy quickly turned to misery, once someone floated a nightmare scenario.

“Apparently the issue is we might come back next week,” a party-pooper threw out there. Full story

Lightning cut short the second half of Monday’s First Tee Congressional Challenge, leaving the Republican side victorious for the fourth year in a row and retaining possession of the coveted Roll Call Cup.

Headed by their captain, Rep. Ander Crenshaw of Florida and anchored by the play of fashion twin South Carolinians Trey Gowdy and Mick Mulvaney, the GOP’s successful morning of match play was enough to edge their Democratic opponents, 8-4.

“It’s one of the highlights of the year,” Crenshaw said. “It’s always good to keep the trophy.” Full story